
PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS:
- Zambezi Queen Collection by Mantis offers a 5 star, wildlife safari cruise holiday on luxury houseboats cruising the Chobe River in Botswana & Namibia.
- Located on the great Chobe River that borders Namibia and the Chobe National Park in Botswana, the Zambezi Queen Collection is made up of four houseboats; the ever elegant Zambezi Queen and her three Chobe Princesses as well the secluded tented Ichingo Chobe River Lodge.
- Moving along the banks of the great Chobe River, Zambezi Queen is a 5-star, 42-metre long luxury houseboat offering unparalleled sophistication in one of the most remote locations on the planet. Best of all, as a guest on the vessel, you can enjoy a truly unique and adventurous river safari holiday while still being surrounded by complete comfort and elegance.
- Each of the 14 suites on Zambezi Queen features air-conditioning and your own private balcony, where you can enjoy unobstructed views of the Chobe River and African landscape beyond. Wake up to the sight of an elephant drinking from the river, or watch a fish eagle take flight – all from the comfort of your own luxurious bed.
- Unlike a land-based lodge, Zambezi Queen navigates roughly 25km of the Chobe River, allowing you to explore different vantage points and enjoy unparalleled game viewing. The banks of the Chobe National Park boast one of the densest populations of elephant on the African continent – at 120 000. The Park is also home to a large number of buffalo, leopard and lion, along with a variety of antelope and abundant birdlife.
EXCLUSIVE LUXE VOYAGER VIP BENEFITS & BEST PRICE
We negotiate rates & benefits for our clients directly with the hotels’ senior management. Our rates match or in many cases are lower than the best online rate for the property. Our clients also enjoy a suite of extra VIP privileges and recognition while staying at a partner hotel.
- Complimentary room upgrade on arrival.
- Daily complimentary buffet breakfast for two.
- Up to $100 dining or spa credit per stay, and or in-house dining / spa discounts.
- Welcome amenities (wine/chocolates/fruit) and card from the GM.
- Complimentary private airport transfers.
- Complimentary roll-away bed if required.
- Early check-in and late check-out.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi.
- Enhanced recognition through VIP status at all touch points in the guest experience.
A complete or partial suite of VIP benefits will be offered, subject to the property T&C, including availability, category of room & length of stay.
ACTIVITIES:
Elephants feature largely on any activity at Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero, as the largest population left in Africa occupies this northern corner between Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Game drives in open-sided 4 x 4 vehicles bring these grey giants into easy reach as they drink and frolic at the water’s edge in their boisterous herds. Thrilling game drives lead by our qualified professional guides bring you close to hippos, buffalos, puku and other animals that gather on the banks of the Chobe River. The puku, a small rusty-brown antelope, alongside impala, kudu and red lechwe, are only a few of the common antelope found here. Naturally, lion and leopard are also found in the area.
The best way to end a day of safari here is sipping on a cocktail while watching an African sunset over the still waters of the Chobe River from the comfort of one of our specially designed riverboats. Sundowner cruises are also a great way of seeing buffalo up close as they come out of the shade to graze in the cooler evenings and elephants as they wade in the river. Chobe is renowned for its abundance of dramatic sable and roan antelopes with their impressive horns. Sitatungas – antelope with splayed feet to help them run in swamps – are often seen here, as are the wild dog and lion that prey upon them.
Our new safari boat available from Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero can seat up to 18 guests and has a lower and upper deck, both featuring 360 degree swivel seats. The upper deck offers a great vantage point of the Chobe River and wildlife while the lower deck boasts a bar area and the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a scrumptious river breakfast or lunch. The boat offers a great exclusive and intimate alternative to enjoying the Chobe area especially for photographic enthusiasts.
Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero welcomes children of all ages and is the ideal choice for a family safari. A fence surrounds the lodge’s perimeter and a whole host of children’s programs and activities are available to keep the young ones busy. Our kids program includes guided walking safaris within the grounds of the lodge to collect pods, leaves and seeds and learn about tree identification, a “Safari hunt” with clues hidden away, kiddies croquet on the lawn, make your own pizza with the Chef and shortened game drives.
Guests will meet up with their guide at reception and drive through to the jetty for their fishing activity. The best time for fishing in the Chobe area is in winter, May, June, July and August. Type of fish guests can expect to catch is Bream and Tiger Fish. All fishing is done on a catch and release basis. Rates include: Use of the boat for maximum of 3 hours and fishing equipment. Maximum 3 people per boat and subject to availability.
Only an hour and a half’s drive from the spectacular Victoria Falls, Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero is a great base from which to explore this great wonder of the world. The transfer time is approximately 1 ½ hours depending on border formalities. From here, the guide will escort guests around the Falls sharing some facts & history along the way. Sanctuary Retreats will supply raincoats during high water months when guests are likely to get wet from the spray of the Falls. The walk is approximately 1½ hours in duration (3km), through the rainforest, stopping at the various viewing points. Guests will also have the opportunity to do some curio shopping in the adjacent open-air markets before returning to Chobe Chilwero.This activity is at an additional cost. Please enquire for rates.
Immerse in the local community and visit the Dipetsana Women’s Bike Shop. Set up through Sanctuary Retreats Philanthropy, the shop employs five women, providing them with a much-needed income to care for their families. Through donations of used bikes, the Initiative not only supports the women, but offers the local community access to a vital means of transport. The women relish in the chance to give visitors a tour of their shop, and offer them the opportunity to partake in a scenic bike ride around Kasane. Guests then have the option to continue the tour to the neighbouring women’s basketry shop to meet the employees and learn about their craft. Follow this with a stop at the local CARCAL animal rescue centre ($5 entrance fee), which takes in injured animals and birds, with the core aim to rehabilitate and release them back into the wild.

Located on the great Chobe River that borders Namibia and the Chobe National Park in Botswana, the Zambezi Queen Collection is made up of four houseboats; the ever elegant Zambezi Queen and her three Chobe Princesses as well the secluded tented Ichingo Chobe River Lodge. Zambezi Queen offers luxury accommodation in the form of 14 tasteful and luxurious suites – ten standard suites and four spacious master suites, all with outer decks so you can soak up the revitalising Chobe River breeze and appreciate uninterrupted views of the unique African landscape beyond. As you drift down the Chobe River and spot incredible wildlife scenes, you’ll be able to completely relax in an intimate river safari experience. With only a small number of guests per boat staying in one of the three Chobe Princesses is like being on your very own houseboat. The entire boat can also be booked exclusively, giving you your very own private villa on the water.
Ichingo Chobe River Lodge offers the ideal location to experience all that the Chobe has to offer with the added benefit of being on the Namibian side of the river. Quieter, more secluded and personalised the lodge is ideal for families, couples or groups.The lounge, bar and open air-dining room set above the flowing waters of the Chobe River provide the ultimate in comfort allowing you to completely unwind and enjoy the sights and sounds of a true African river safari experience. We offer a wide variety of experiences at our three properties, ranging from tiger fishing along the Chobe River to our cultural tours where you can meet the Subiya tribe village elders and locals and gain a greater understanding of how the inhabitants of this 100-year old village live.

Bush Dining
Area & Location
Area, Country
Chobe River, Botswana & Namibia
Nearest Airport
Kasane Airport, Botswana
Local Currency
Botswana Pula (BWP)
Time Change
GMT +2
Language
English
Best time to go
May to September
Related Hotels
- Tucked away in a grove of fever trees and offering breath-taking views over the sweeping plains, Namiri Plains is an intimate tented camp in the…
- Richard's River Camp offers the discerning traveller a luxury tented camp in the very heart of the Masai Mara. Designed with privacy, exclusivity as well…
- Kwessi Dunes is located deep in Namibia’s striking NamibRand Nature Reserve, a vast desert wilderness of over 200,000 hectares. With its rolling desert plains and…
- Chitabe Camp is one of the best game viewing camps in the Okavango Delta. Situated between 2 major river systems, the Gomoti to the east…
- The Superior Explorer Safari offers six nights of mobile camping in the spectacular regions of Botswana’s Chobe National Park and the Savute and rounds off…
- Hemingways Nairobi, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the world, is an elegant boutique hotel situated in Nairobi's Karen residential area with magnificent…
- Located on roughly six hectares on Kalagala Island, Wildwaters Lodge lies on a unique private island mid-stream within the mighty River Nile in Uganda: around…
- Perched on the edge of the Kuka Hills, andBeyond Klein’s Camp features intimate safari accommodation – just ten cottages of local stone and makuti, with…
- Where rich heritage meets Nobu Hospitality’s contemporary flair, Nobu Hotel Marrakech will be located in the Hivernage district, steps from the historic heart of the…
- At One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, you have a front row seat to Africa’s oldest national park where gorillas roam freely in their natural habitat. There aren’t…
- An experience at Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa is as much about enjoying a cocktail on the rooftop Champagne bar as it is…
- Roho ya Selous is situated in the very heart of the magnificent Selous game reserve. Perched on a hill overlooking the water, this small tented…
- A visit to Elewana Kifaru House is to plunge into the timeless tranquility of Africa. Located within the world-famous Lewa Conservancy, home to East Africa’s…
- Amanjena is a spacious and stylish hideaway in the peaceful Palmeraie area of Marrakech. With its huge rooms, beautiful pools and immaculate gardens, it is…
- It is remote. It is beautiful. It is intimate. And at over 2,000 metres above sea level, it is Uganda’s highest lodge. Picture this: You are…